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ORDINARY PEOPLE is a book that was later made into a movie. It is set in Lake Forest, Illinois, during the 1970s. The action focuses on the Jarrett family--Calvin and Beth and their son Conrad. Before the action of the book begins, there was a second Jarrett son--Buck--who was killed in a boating accident. After the death of Buck, Conrad became deeply troubled, blaming himself. At the request of his father, Conrad begins to see a psychiatrist, Dr. Berger. He tells Berger that he wants him to help him gain more control over others so that he can make his father stop worrying about him. In Berger’s office, Conrad has a breakthrough and admits that he blames himself for the death of his brother Buck. But he did what you are suppose to do when your boat overturns. You stay with the boat. Berger tells him to stop blaming himself. He did what you were suppose to do. He stayed with the boat.

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